City hands out 43 grants to businesses, non-profits
The city administered 43 grants to qualifying businesses and non-profits through its newly-revamped Centerville Community Improvement Corporation (CCIC).
The COVID-19 Business Relief Program is funded through the CARES ACT, a federal law aimed at mitigating some of the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We set out to help some of the small businesses who had seen such a devastating impact from COVID, and wewere really one of the first cities in Ohio to offer this type of relief program,” Development Director Michael Norton-Smith said.
The grant program is in line with the city’s strategic plan, which outlines a goal of analyzing existing economic development offerings and creating new programs.
Terry O’Brien, owner of TriLevel Productions, produces original localmusic and video promotions. He estimates in 2020, TriLevel brought it less than half of what it would in a normal year.
“I work primarily with other small businesses. Nobody has the extra money to spend on video promotionthisyear,” O’Briensaid.
The CCIC awarded Tri-Level a $2,500 grant to help cover the costs of lost payroll.
“This grant program shows a commitment of the city of Centerville to support small businesses. Without the help, itwould have been hard for my business to move forward,” O’Brien said.
Seventy percent of the businesses that applied for assistance intend to put the award toward their rent or mortgage. Others requested help for utilities, personal protective equipment or payroll, like O’Brien.
“Early on, the pandemic’s impact onour business was scary. As soon as everyoneworks from home and no one is driving, our work takes a nosedive,” Centerville Service Center owner Ben Forshee said.
Forshee has worked at the shop at 140 North Main Street for nearly 20 years. He bought the place in 2011.
“I was really stressing. None of us knew what the pandemic was really going to be. The city’s grant came at an especially helpful time as winter settles in and our business ramps downagain,” Forshee said.
Centerville Service Center wants to pay it forward as well. Throughout December, a portion of all sales will be donated to theGood NeighborHouse food pantry.
“Once we started hearing the stories of what other organizations have been going through, it was clear expanding the grant program was the right thing to do,” Norton-Smith said.
CouncilMember Belinda Kenley was instrumental in the creation of the Non-Profit Relief Program in October.
“This is a cause near and dear to the hearts of our City Council. There are many committed, generous non-profits in Centerville
that offer help to thousands. We want to help these groups continue to provide such important services,” Kenley said.
The program provided $5,000 grants to help non-profits with increased demand for services or increased costs associated with providing services like sanitization or transportation.
The CCIC awarded three grants to non-profits: Friends of the Castle for weekly cleaning, Incarnation Conference of St. Vincent DePaul to help in providing gift cards for groceries and utilities and Hannah’s Treasure Chest to purchase diapers for care packages.
“With no end in sight, we cannot anticipate increasing demand for our services with a continuing reduction in fundraising opportunities,” Hannah’s Treasure Chest Executive Director DeannaMurphy said. “Items like diapers, underwear and socks are a constant request for children.”
Precautions related toCOVID-19 meant the non-profit has to cancel its two largest annual fundraising events, aswell as its spring fundraising appeal.
While the deadline to spend CARES Act funding has passed, Centerville remains committed to supporting its business and non-profit community throughout the pandemic.